


Take A Break

by wesawbears



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Aged-up Yuri, He's 23 in this fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-16 23:45:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9294968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wesawbears/pseuds/wesawbears
Summary: Yuri works too hard, even when his body can't keep up with the demands. Otabek stops by just in time to remind him of what's really important: pirozhkis.





	

_ Slam.  _

 

Yuri hated the heaviness of his landings. At 23, years of attempting harder and harder tricks had taken a toll on his body and he felt it in his knees every time he landed a quad. Also, his additional height as he grew and the resettling of his weight had thrown off the amount of height he was able to get in his jumps.

 

Still, Yuri was nothing if not stubborn, so his rigorous practice schedule didn’t change. He was still on the rink or in the studio for hours a day. If Viktor could do it, he could. It wasn’t fair that Viktor had skated until he was 29, while Yuri’s body was rioting at 23.

 

Frustrated, he pushed his hair out of his face and threw himself back into his short program. He didn’t have time to worry about this- he had work to do. He drove again and again into the air and back onto the ice until he was panting and his body was screaming for a break. He turned to skate over to the side of the rink and was greeted by the sight of Otabek leaning against the side, looking stoic as always. He wasn’t surprised to see him; he and Otabek trained at the same rink now, as they had for the past four years.

 

Nevertheless, he skated over to him and leaned against the side. “Beka,” he said, a little breathless. “What are you doing here?”

 

“You’re always here,” Otabek pointed out.

 

“Aww. You were looking for me?” Yuri answered in a teasing voice, exaggeratedly fluttering his lashes.

 

Otabek rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked in a half smile and he said, “Someone has to make sure you take a break.” He shook a bag he was holding and continued, “There may be pirozhkis and a frappucino involved in said break.”

 

Yuri sighed. “I can’t take a break. I have to practice if I’m going to be ready for the qualifiers.”

 

“Yuri, you’ve been practicing your programs for weeks longer than anyone else.”

 

Yuri knew he was being logical, but his stubbornness led him to let out one more protest. “I have to be better than them.”  _ I have to be better than myself. _

 

“Yura,” he started, brushing a stray bang away from his face, “You work harder than any of them. You have nothing to prove.”

 

Otabek didn’t say much, but he always knew exactly what to say. It was as endearing as it was frustrating for Yuri. Still, he didn’t want to fight about this. He was so tired from fighting all the time. So he smiled and took Otabek’s hand. “Thank you.”

 

Otabek nodded and waited for Yuri to make his way off the ice and over to the bench. 

  
Yuri leaned over Otabek, who touched his waist lightly and looked at him imperceptibly. Yuri moved closer until their lips almost brushed and at the last second, snatched the bag triumphantly. He moved away, laughing at his boyfriend’s gaping face. “I was promised pirozhkis.”


End file.
